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Michael Purcell

Project: High Throughput Discovery of Iridium Free OER Catalysts

Supervisors: Matt Rosseinsky, Alexander Cowan, Troy Manning, Ruiyong Chen

Industry Partner: Johnson Matthey

What inspired you to pursue this project and join the DAMC CDT?

Following on from my Masters in Chemical Physics degree at The University of Edinburgh, I was eager to pursue a PhD that would allow me to continue to work in a cross discipline environment where I had the opportunity to learn more than just chemistry. I was eager to take on a project that would to lead to real world applications outside of the scope of a research lab, I have always wanted my research to play a part in a more sustainable future. My project in Ir free OER catalysis within the Rosseinsky group and sponsored by Johnson Matthey provided the perfect opportunity to do this, combining academic insight and expertise with real world industry knowhow. The CDT provided even more opportunity to develop my knowledge outside of the scope of just my project, by working alongside academics with varied backgrounds I saw a very exciting way to expand my knowledge across many fields and make connections that I would not otherwise make outside of the CDT. Becoming a well rounded academic is incredibly important to me and thus the CDT was a no brainer. 

What is your research project about, and what impact do you hope it will have?

My research project is focussed on high throughput synthesis and screening of iridium free oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. This takes two angles towards tackling the sustainability of OER catalyst development, firstly high throughput methods allow for rapid screening of samples which allows for more potential catalysts to be tested in a shorter length of time. Secondly the shift away from the incredibly rare iridium is an important one for water electrolysers to become more common place in everyday life. I believe that my project will lay the foundations for Johnson Matthey to further develop their commercial water electrolyser power cells as an alternative to fossil fuel based power sources.

What has been the most exciting or rewarding part of your PhD journey so far and how does your project benefit from being part of an interdisciplinary CDT? 

So far (around 6 months in) the most rewarding aspect of the PhD has been learning how to manage a project that is solely mine. Planning the direction of my own project then having the skills to run the necessary experiments is incredibly fulfilling and developing these skills further has me very excited for the future of this PhD. Being a part of the CDT has only enhanced these skills further as my colleagues in both my Cohort and Cohort 1 are all very eager to teach and share knowledge.